Main » Venezuela's military is 90% against Maduro, claims defecting colonel

Venezuela's military is 90% against Maduro, claims defecting colonel

11 February 2019

The U.S. and many European countries have recognized Juan Guaidó as the interim president of Venezuela, while Maduro is supported by Russia, China, and Turkey.

PDVSA's move follows tough new US financial sanctions imposed on January 28 and aimed at blocking leftist President Nicolas Maduro's access to the country's oil revenue.

"There are people responsible for this and the regime knows it".

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro led military exercises on Sunday, pledging to strengthen the country's anti-aircraft defensive system.

Toledo said "in coming days we will visit the state of Roraima to see where this storage center will be and from next week we will organize the arrival of this humanitarian aid".

Medicine and food sent by the United States has been blocked for three days on the border in Cucuta, Colombia after Venezuelan soldiers closed a bridge linking the two countries. Maduro also accused Guaido of acting at the instructions from Washington.

Maduro appeared on state television Sunday, showing off anti-aircraft systems and other weapons he says will make Venezuelan cities "impregnable". "There are armed forces here and a people to defend the honor, dignity, and decorum".

He also voiced against U.S. President Donald Trump, "get out Donald Trump, get out his threats", Maduro said.

Trump has not ruled out US military action for Venezuela, but has not specified under what circumstances he would send in USA forces.

Guaido, the 35 year-old head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, stunned Venezuela in January by declaring himself interim president after the legislature declared Maduro a "usurper" following his May 2018 reelection in a vote disputed by the opposition and global community.

The Venezuelan oil minister, who now holds the rotating presidency of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), said it was important to listen to all the consuming countries that represent oil demand to maintain the balance of demand and supply in the markets.

Maduro has rejected humanitarian aid as a USA ploy to intervene in Venezuela, calling the deployment of aid a "political show" and blaming United States sanctions for the country's widespread shortages of food and medicine.